Sleeve loading apparatus



Sept. 1969 K. s. CARMICHAEL SLEEVE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10. 1966I N V EN TOR. Kev-1w 5. MIN/0117.52.

United States Patent US. Cl. 53-390 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREApparatus for packaging articles in thermoplastic tubing comprisinglower and upper cantilevered forming members the lower member being inflush configuration with a flat working area and vertically movable.

Disclosure A particularly convenient method of packaging a plurality ofarticles comprises placing the articles in heat shrinkable thermoplastictubing and subsequently passing the tubing through a heat shrinkingtunnel in order to shrink the tubing around the articles and form apartially enclosed package. While machines are available to accomplishthe above described operation, their expense and limited mobilityprohibit their use when only low production rates (i.e., -10 pkgs./min.) are employed. Yet, even at low production ra es, considerableeconomy can be realized by the use of a machine that accomplishes someof the otherwise manual packaging steps. Obviously, such a machineshould be low in cost, portable so as to be useful in a variety of plantlocations, and readily adaptable in accommodating various sizedarticles.

Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided aninexpensive, portable, and readily adaptable packaging apparatus whichcomprises a frame, a flat working area on the frame, a lowercantilevered forming member positioned within, and forming a flushconfiguration with, the fiat working area, and means for verticallymoving the lower cantilevered forming member above and back within theflat working area. Additionally, the apparatus comprises a structuralsupport positioned above the flat working area which supports an uppercantilevered forming member, the cantilevered portion of this uppercantilevered forming member being in substantial vertical alignment wi'hand parallel to the cantilevered portion of the lower cantileveredforming member.

Referring to the attached drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view along line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 when the upper and lowercantilevered forming members are in a raised position.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail view of the connection between astructural support member and a vertical supporting extension.

With particular reference to the figures, the apparatus of thisinvention comprises a frame having legs 12 and a fiat working area 14. Alower cantilevered forming member comprised of a plate 16 and acantilevered portion 18, joined to the plate by means of dowel pins 17,is positioned wihin the flat working area 14 and forms a flushconfiguration therewith. A structural support 20 is positioned above theflat working area 14 and, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, screws into theblocks 21. In turn, the blocks 21 receive one end of each of thevertical supporting extensions 22. The ends of these extensions arefirmly secured in the blocks by means of the set screws 23,

Patented Sept. 16, 1969 and the blocks and extensions are positionedwithin the structural guiding members 24. The structural support 20serves to support an upper cantilevered forming member comprised of acantilevered portion 28 and a sleeved end 30. The sleeved end 30 slidesthrough the structural support 20 and the member is held firmly inposition by the set screws 32. As shown, the cantilevered portion 18 ofthe lower cantilevered forming member is in substantial verticalalignment (i.e., displaced vertically with substantially the same width)with, and parallel to, the cantilevered portion 28 of the uppercantilevered forming member.

The apparatus of the present invention includes means for verticallymoving the lower cantilevered forming member and can, as illustrated,also include means for moving the upper cantilevered forming member aswell. The means 34- serve to move the sructural support 20 to the fixedstops 26, and, correspondingly, the upper cantilevered forming membermoves vertically up and down in such a manner that the cantileveredportion moves toward or away from the fiat working area 14. The means 34can be in the configura ion shown or a single cylinder can be employedto actuate a yoke which supports the vertical supporting extensions 22.Similarly, the means 36 serve to move the lower cantilevered formingmember above or back within the fiat working area 14.

The particular means for vertically moving the lower canilevered formingmember and, if desired, the upper member also, is not critical. If verylow cost is a determining factor, the means can comprise hand or pedaloperated spring-loaded mechanical devices such as a sliding blocklinkage connected to a toggle joint or a suitable lever arrangement.However, the preferred means are either pneumatic or hydraulicdouble-acting cylinders. In particular, where the plant is equipped witha compressed air sysem, the use of pneumatic cylinders is especiallydesirable. Such use permits greater portability and operabi'ity sincethe required operating energy is derived from the plants compressed airsystem and independent from electrical control devices and energysources. When double-acting pneumaic cylinders are used they areconveniently controlled by means of four-Way valves that can be hand orfoot actuated.

Double-acting hydraulic cylinders can also be used. However. their userequires, in addition to the double acting cylinders, other apparatussuch as an oil reservoir, an expansion tank, an oil pump, a reliefvalve, closed loop piping, and electrical control circuitry. As with thepneumatic cylinders, the hydraulic cylinders can be controlled byfour-way valves which can be hand, foot, or electrically actuated.

While, for clarity, the drawings schematically indicate separatevertical moving means for the upper and lower cantilevered formingmembers, his to be understood that it is frequently convenient to use asingle means to move both members. Quite obviously this has advantagesfrom the standpoint of reduced capital expenditure.

However, as will be explained, the present apparatus can conveniently beused with moving means only associated with the lower cantileveredforming member. When such is the case, the upper cantilevered formingmember is set at a fixed position above the fiat working area.

Referring again to the figures, the operation of the present apparatuscan be understood. The means 34 and 36 are actuated causing the upperand lower cantilevered forming members to move vertically toward eachother and stop when close together. This position is illustrated inFIGURE 4 though it is to be understood that the two forming members neednot come into actual contact. In general, the distance between them willbe that which, for a particular operator, is most convenient for thesubsequent operations. While the forming members are in this positionthe extreme end portion of the sleeve of packaging material 38 isplaced, generally by hand, around the cantilevered portions of the upperand lower cautilevered forming members.

Subsequently, the vertical moving means are actuated in the oppositedirection which raises the upper cantilevered forming member anddepresses the lower cantilevered forming member into the positionsillustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3. As shown, the lower cantilevered formingmember is flush with the flat working area. In this position, theentrance to the packaging material 38 is in taut rectangularconfiguration and the articles 40 can be easily slid into the packagingmaterial since they are on the same plane as the lower section of theopened packaging material and the lower edge of the sleeve is in aclamped position.

After the articles have been positioned within the packaging material,the vertical moving means 32 and 34 are again actuated such that theupper and lower cantilevered members move toward each other an amountsufficient to release the packaging material. The packaged articles arethen customarily conveyed to a heat shrinking tunnel where the formationof the package is completed by tightly shrinking the packaging materialaround the body of the group of articles and partially around the endsof the grouping. As is apparent, the above described packaging operationcan be accomplished in a continuous fashion by slipping the sleeve of asubsequent piece of packaging material over the members while they arein the position used for the previous releasing step.

When an apparatus is used having the upper cantilevered forming memberin a fixed position, the above described operations for opening andfilling a sleeve are basically the same except that the upper memberdoes not move. However, the lower member in such an apparatus will haveto vertically travel a greater distance to contact the upper member.

An additional advantage of the apparatus of the present invention isthat it can be adapted to accommodate various widths of packagingmaterial. Thus, the cantilevered portion 18 of lower cantileveredforming member can be a removable plate extension which can be replacedby other plates having various lengths in the transverse direction,i.e., that direction which is perpendicular to the direction of articlemovement into the opened sleeve. When such a removable plate is used itmust be capable of being linked to the plate to form a unitarystructure. As illustrated, linking by means of dowel pins is generallysuitable. Additionally, totally replaceable lower forming members ofvarying widths can be employed in lieu of the plate and removableextensions.

Similarly, the width of the upper cantilevered forming member can beeasily changed by merely sliding a member of a different width over thestructural support 20. In order to accomplish this, the set screws 23are loosened and the blocks 21 and support 20 are slid out of theguiding members 24. Subsequently, an end of the support 20 is unscrewedfrom the corresponding block, and

4 the desired substitution of forming members is accomplished.Additionally and particularly when the support 20 is fixedly attached inone position to the guiding members 24, the upper cantilevered formingmember can be a simple plate attached at one end to the structuralsupport by means of bolts or screws.

What is claimed is:

1. A packaging apparatus for packaging articles in thermoplastic tubingmaterial comprising a frame, a flat working area on said frame forsupporting articles to be packaged, a lower cantilevered forming memberpositioned within, and forming a flush configuration with, said flatworking area, means for vertically moving said lower cantileveredforming member above and back within said fiat working area so thatWhile in said flush configuration the forming member holds a lower edgeof the tubing material in a clamped position, a structural supportpositioned above said fiat working area and supporting an uppercantilevered forming member, the cantilevered portion of said uppercantilevered forming member being in substantial vertical alignmentwith, and parallel to, the cantilevered portion of said lowercantilevered forming member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for vertically moving thelower cantilevered forming member is a pneumatic cylinder.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for vertically moving thelower cantilevered forming member is a hydraulic cylinder.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the width of the cantileveredportions of the upper and lower cantilevered forming members can bevariably adjusted.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 containing, in addition, means forvertically moving the upper cantilevered forming member toward and awayfrom the fiat working area.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the means for vertically moving thelower and upper cantilevered forming members are pneumatic cylinders.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the means for vertically moving thelower and upper cantilevered forming members are hydraulic cylinders.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the width of the cantileveredportions of the upper and lower cantilevered forming members can bevariably adjusted.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,393,102 1/1946 Gribner 532583,060,657 10/1962 Calder et al 53261 X 3,252,267 5/1966 Myles et a1.53257 3,270,484 9/1966 Sorensen 53258 THERON E. CONDON, Primary ExaminerR. L. SPRUILL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 53257

